MYSTERY surrounds the future of Helsby’s cemetery after the village burial clerk said she had “serious concerns” with the plans for the cemetery extension.

Last month, planners passed an independent proposal by allotment holder David Temple for more than 70 new burial plots and refused Helsby Parish Council’s proposal for the fourth time.

But Helsby burial clerk Jenny McLaren told a council meeting: “The graves should all be facing east but they are going in all kinds of angles.

“From a management point of view, presuming it will be my responsibility, I would like some input to how it will be laid out. We should be trying to create more space between the graves.”

The approved application proposes to extend the cemetery into an existing wildlife area and would not affect any allotments.

But she added: “It’s going to take a year for the wildlife area to settle.”

Mr Temple, chairman of the allotment association, said: “The principal for using the ground for burial has been established by the approval but we can modify the plan of the grounds.

“A large part of their plan is to use the wildlife area for burials. But a lot of the area is common to both plans. We have offered to submit the maintenance schedules and schedules of work. The allotment holders have offered to work with the parish council to implement the plan as long as the council liaises with them.”

At the same meeting, the parish council decided to appeal the planners’ refusal at the cost of £621, despite already spending £4,700 on the process.

Parish chairman Stuart Hulse said: “We agree with what she said. The full council has decided to appeal and we are going to appeal, it’s as straightforward as that.”